Computing devices, such as mobile smart phones, send and receive communication signals through various channels. Those channels may include, for example WiFi networks, Ethernet networks, and cellular networks. With respect to a cellular network, computing devices may communicate via various channels of communication including data, voice, and text messages over the simple messaging service (SMS) or multimedia message service (MMS). A carrier or network operator provides channels of communication and charges a fee according to the amount of usage of a selected channel of communication in a period. For example, a carrier may charge a fee based on the amount of data (measured in bytes or megabytes) sent and received, the duration of a phone call in minutes or seconds, and the total number of texts sent and/or received.
A computing device typically has a plan or tariff associated therewith which is an agreement with the carrier or network operator regarding the amount the carrier will charge for the consumption of any of data, voice, and text by the computing device or a group of computing devices. For example, a tariff may permit an unlimited number of local evening and weekend voice call minutes, a limited number of local day time voice call minutes, a limited number of long distance voice call minutes, a limited number of text messages, and a certain amount of data in a month for a fixed fee. If the computing device consumes more than the maximum amount of minutes, text messages, or data, then the carrier may charge additional fees or an overage fee in accordance with the tariff.
An increasing number of individuals are each using only one computing device for both work and personal purposes. An individual may own the device and have a contract with a carrier or network operator for the communication of data, voice and text. Alternatively, an employer may own the device and have the contract with the carrier but provide the device to their employee.
There are a number of benefits associated with using only one device for both work and personal purposes. It may be difficult, however, to apportion the costs of device operations such as data traffic, text messages, and voice call minutes, between work purposes and personal purposes. Accordingly, it is desirable to have an easy method of calculating the costs results from the operations performed by a computing device so that an employee can be appropriately reimbursed by their employer for operation of an employee device for work purposes; an employer can appropriately bill an employee for operation of an employer's device for personal purposes, and a contractor can identify the amount of carrier charges it can expense for the purpose of calculating business income.